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Choosing a Real Estate Professional
Successfully marketing a property and completing its sale through the close of escrow takes knowledge, experience, and attention to detail. You’ll want to choose an experienced professional that you can work with and trust. After all, your home is most likely your single largest asset.
It’s important to understand that there is a hierarchy of real estate professionals here in California. I’m sure you’ve heard real estate professionals call them self’s: Realtors®, Brokers, or Agents. But what’s the difference?
As a prerequisite to selling real estate here in California, a person must be licensed by the California Bureau of Real Estate either as an agent or as a broker. Before a license is issued, the person must meet certain State required standards for education, examinations, and experience. Brokers must meet a higher level of qualification than agents, making broker licenses more difficult to obtain. Brokers are held to a higher level of legal responsibility than agents. A Broker is permitted to work independently for them self. An agent is required to work under the guidance of a broker who takes legal responsibility for the agent’s actions and supervises the agent’s transactions. You’ll have to decide what type of licensee you are comfortable with in selling your home. Before hiring an agent, get to know their broker. Verify that they are currently licensed and if there has been any disciplinary action filed against them or their broker. Click here to go to the CA BRE’s License Verification site.
Many agents and brokers also call themselves Realtors®. After receiving a real estate license, most licensees go on to join their local, California, and National Association of Realtors® professional trade associations. Brokers and agents who join are allowed to call themselves Realtors®. If your professional advertises them self as a “Realtor®” you won’t know if they are licensed as a Broker or an Agent unless you ask.
When selecting the right professional for you, choose an experienced professional who has a history of successfully closing sales in different situations or under difficult types of conditions. Attracting a buyer is only part of the sales process. It’s imperative to have a professional who can successfully navigate your home through the close of escrow while calmly handling any unexpected problems.
Your professional should provide you with a thorough analysis your home’s value within the current market. It’s important you’re able trust your professional to recommend a selling price that will enable your home to sell quickly at its highest value. Understand your professional’s marketing plan, and how they plan to draw buyers into your home.
Finally, make sure your professional has enough time to spend for you. Find out if he or she handles everything personally, from beginning to end, or if you will be serviced by their assistant. Will your professional be personally present during showings and open houses? Will they advise you and help complete the contracts, disclosures, and escrow paperwork necessary to close the sale? Will they be personally available to answer your questions when you call?
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